There is a noticeable momentum shift in the marketing of mainstream brands to Boomers. Using innovative ad campaigns, big brands are making bold statements about the value of Boomer consumers, and brands that have been neglecting Boomers are looking to step up to the plate. We are nowhere near critical mass, but enough strides are being made to support the notion that Boomer spending power is forcing a profound and potentially lasting disruption in long-standing marketing norms.

We have learned that today's customers control markets. They do so by zapping commercials and freely choosing what they will buy and from whom they will buy it. Also, most astute marketers understand that younger markets receive, perceive and dissect their messages differently. What many are not aware of is the differences crop up because of age-related changes in brain functions. As marketers' increase their insights into the aging mind and understand the age-related differences between customers in the first and second halves of life, their ability to connect will improve.

Baby Boomers are leaving workplaces across the country in a mass exodus. The oldest of the Boomers are now in their 70s, with the youngest clocking in at 53. This means that, over the next 15 years, America is poised to lose a third of its workforce and nearly half of its corporate leadership. "But many Boomers plan to work into their 70s!," you say. While a Boomer may be quick to keep this dream alive, the reality is far different. A Gallup poll reports that only 16% of Boomers are still working full time by the age of 68. ...

There is a Baby Boomer customer crisis in America, and many companies don't know it. The spoils will go to those companies who perceive the crises and out-connect and out-service their competitors.

I recently got a text from my 60-year-old, Italian mother. I assumed it was about one of our usual topics of conversation: updates on my quirky aunt, new songs she could listen to during aerobics classes, or what type of pasta to bring on her next visit to New York. Instead, what I received said, "Do you want to go to a music festival with me and dad?" followed by a generous series of music-themed emojis.

Just over the horizon are a slew of new apps and services that are perfect for Boomers and seniors, but you may not have heard of them yet. Here are our top picks for new apps that could make a big splash.

Steve Jobs once said, "The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller ..." Abraham Lincoln also said, "In order to win a man to your cause, you must first reach his heart, the great high road to his reason."

The term "sharing economy" has become a buzzword over the last few years, as services like Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, Task Rabbit and others have become popular with people of all ages. All of these businesses share a common theme; they connect people directly to services by disrupting an industry that is already in place.

One of my favorite authors and presenters on marketing to women is Marti Barletta. Her publications, presentations and consulting expertise provide the definitive work on marketing to women and Boomer women. If your target is 50 to 70-year-old women, you may want to visit an article I wrote including Marti's thinking on marketing to women in general.

Recently, I was speaking with a client about the issue of subtle ageism in adult marketing. She was particularly fascinated by the reactions that people had when they learned of her father's passing. The first question nearly everyone asked was, "How old was he?" Her response was brilliant: "Why does it matter?"